The Donut Prince of New York

"A masterful page-turner. You’ll root for Eugene long after the final chapter. Chef’s kiss!"—Lisa Fipps, author of Starfish

Eugene Guterman's junior year in high school is off to a rocky start. No love life, no new theater production, and if his mother has her way, no more of his favorite comfort food—donuts. Eugene would just as soon spend the year playing small, but that’s hard to do when you’re the biggest kid in your class.

Things change when he accidentally tackles the school’s star quarterback and Coach sees the possibilities and recruits the plus-size playwright onto the varsity football team. Eugene is suddenly catapulted into the world of the “The Pops,” the exclusive clique of popular athletes known for their parties and dating scene. Best of all is the new and mysterious girl Daisy who seems to be noticing him.

Then Eugene discovers that life at the top is more complicated than he imagined— there’s pressure to excel, to fit in, and to uphold a certain image—and Eugene misses his former life and his old friends. Can he find the courage to give it all up, write something real, and maybe, just maybe, be the big guy who actually gets the girl?

Named one of Kirkus' Best Young Adult Books of the Year

"A heartbreaking coming of age tale that finds triumph in failure. Football, first crushes, theater and donuts. I love this book.”—Yehudi Mercado, author of Chunky and Sci-FuReaders need not be familiar with either the stage or the football field to enjoy this excellently crafted novel. A pitch-perfect journey of self-discovery.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The story beats are classic for sports-themed YA and, in less adept hands, might have been stale. Thankfully, Zadoff’s gift for dialogue and knack for character rises above the plot. Though packed with hilarious zingers and witty one-liners, Eugene’s story—including his complex relationships with food, his plus-size body, and the social expectations of attractiveness—is one that will tug at readers’ emotions.
—Booklist

In Allen Zadoff’s The Donut Prince of New York, a plus-sized kid finds acceptance once he joins the football team. That’s more fun than getting ready for a party by having to stretch out a sweater so it won’t seem so tight. And heck, the girl he likes likes him back. But he’d still rather indulge in his love for donuts and musical theater and get the girl anyway. Crazy, right?
—ParadeAllen Zadoff is the author of nine novels and a memoir, including the thriller series The Unknown Assassin, which debuted to starred reviews and was a YALSA Top Ten Pick for Reluctant Readers. The series has been translated into over a dozen languages and is in active development at Sony Pictures. Allen's most recent middle-grade sci-fi action series, Wild & Chance, is available now. A former stage director, Zadoff is a graduate of Cornell University, the Harvard University Institute for Advanced Theater Training, and the Warner Bros. Writers Workshop.